Archive for May 1, 2013

Photo of the day: WHICH ONE OF THESE GIRLS WILL BECOME A RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL ROCKETTE? Only the grueling 45 minute audition will tell. Yesterday morning hundreds of anxious women between 5’6″ and 5’10 1/2″ tall, proficient in ballet, tap, and jazz lined up on 50th Street outside the iconic landmark Radio City Music Hall to hopefully fulfill a childhood dream of becoming a NYC Rockette, if even only for the run of the popular Christmas show. They were told to all come with a ‘Rockette Look’. All the women had the same Christmas red accented lips. No short haired ladies, they all had long hair pulled back in a chignon. Most eyes bore heavy black false eye lashes. It was a strange yet beautiful sort of 2013 version of the 1988 Robert Palmer music video “Simply Irresistible”. Rows and rows of them, simply ‘irresistible.’

It also looked like the opening scene of ‘A Chorus Line’. The looks on their waiting faces ranged from anxiety to sheer excitement. Later in the day, about 1pm, I passed by again and the last girl was being admitted inside. But now on 50th street, there was also this stream of women leaving Radio City Music Hall that, to the passers by…oddly all seemed to look alike! Some serene, some happy, some in tears. Callbacks will be on Wednesday for the lucky ones to get through to audition further, ultimately proving the Big Apple is where everything is possible and dreams can come true.

New York City is called the Big Apple because the red apple, like temptation from Eve to Adam, represents ‘the tempting opportunity’ the people have flocked to this city for centuries to take a bite of. The apple of these ladies’ eye is a contract which states: “Travel and Housing are provided for all performers in shows performing outside New York City. No travel or housing is provided for the performers of the show in New York. If cast in the show, performers will be offered an American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA) contract with competitive salaries and benefits.”

Here’s hoping one of them will be kicking her heels high at Christmas time !

From the top. A-Five, six, seven, eight![ALL] God, I hope I get it. I hope I get it. How many people does he need?[BOYS] How many people does he need?[GIRLS] God, I hope I get it.[ALL] I hope I get it. How many boys, how many girls?[GIRLS] How many boys, how many…?[ALL] Look at all the people! At all the people. How many people does he need? How many boys, how many girls? How many people does he…?[TRICIA] I really need this job. Please God, I need this job. I’ve got to get this job.[ALL] God, I really blew it! I really blew it! How could I do a thing like that?[BOYS] How could I do a thing like…[ALL] Now I’ll never make it! I’ll never make it! He doesn’t like the way I look. He doesn’t like the way I dance. He doesn’t like the way I…[ALL] GOD, I think I’ve got it. I think I’ve got it. I knew he liked me all the time. Still it isn’t over.[MAGGIE] What’s coming next?[ALL] It isn’t over.[MIKE] What happens now?[ALL] I can’t imagine what he wants.[GIRLS] I can’t imagine what he…[ALL] God, I hope I get it! I hope I get it. I’ve come this far, but even so It could be yes, it could be no, How many people does he…?I really need this job.[A FEW VOICES] My unemployment is gone.[ALL] Please, God, I need this job.[A FEW VOICES] I knew I had it from the start.[ALL] I’ve got to get this show.[PAUL] Who am I anyway? Am I my resume? That is a picture of a person I don’t know.What does he want from me? What should I try to be? So many faces all around, and here we go. I need this job, oh God, I need this show.